where are db1.mdb, db2.mdb, so on from?

[Guest]

I have a file database, for example: Test.mdb, on the network. Supervisors
have been using it to print report each month for emplyees. I have seen extra
datadases such as db1.mdb, db2.mdb, so on somehow appeared on the network. I
don't know where they came from and how they are created. Does anyone know
where files are from?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Van T. Dinh]

If you have the Compact-On-Close option set, this may happen if the person
whose closes the database last does not have delete permission on the
folder.

When Access compacts a database, it actually compacts the database into
another database file temporarily named dbX.mdb. When the compaction is
completed, Access deletes the old file and rename dbX.mdb to the old name.
In this process, Access uses the permission of the user who close the
database last and if this user does not have delete permission, Access can't
delete the old file and the process stops. In this case the temporaily
named files will remain with name "dbX.mdb".

If you use A2000 software, I think there is another cause that can have the
same effect. Search the Knowledge Base if you use A2000 software.

BTW, it sounds like you use a single MDB file for multi-users. If it is a
multi-use application, you should (must, really) use the split system with
Back-End file and multiple copies of Front-End file, one for each user on
his / her desktop.

 

[Guest]

I did not have "Compact-On-Close" set. I have used a single database for
multi-users. One of the reasons may be when people who do not have access to
a database, but tried to open it. This reason may cause creating extra
db#s.mdb. Please correct me if i am wrong.

Thanks

 

[Van T. Dinh]

I don't think that's correct.

Are use using Access Security or simply network / file permissions?

Either way, if a user doesn't have "access / permission", he / she shouldn't
be able to able to open the database. In some of the network I have worked
on, if a user doesn't have access to a file, the user doesn't even see the
relevant file / directory.

 

[Guest]

I used Access Security. Oops, I am sorry for confusing you . You are
correct. If a user does not have access to a file, then the user will not see
the file. I remember at the time when working on a production floor, I
searched for a mdb file on the network (Start -> Search). I found one
database file, opened it and closed it. Somehow, I saw db#.mdb created there.
If opened and closed it 2 times, then 2 db#s.mdb files are created. Have idea
what was going on. I do not work with the Database, so i think you could help
me to figure it out.


Thanks

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Which Access version are you working on? Are the OS and Access / Office
being updated with all Service Releases / Service Patches?

 

[Guest]

I used MS Access 2003 on Windows XP. Yes, I did update "Windows Update" and
"Office Update". But the database file is used by multi-users, not myself.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

I think the first think you should do is to split the database to Front-End
and Back-End. Multiple users using a single-file Access application
increase the chance of corrupting the database. It is also easier for you
to maintain and modify the database with Front-End / Back-End split.

 

[Guest]

I do not worry much about it now. I am now trying to figure out where/how
extra databases are from/are created. This is my question. Thank so much for
spending the time to reply my posts. If you could help me to find a solution
for my question, then i really appreciate. Each supervisor already has a
shortcut of a file on desktop. Sometimes, they open the file at the same
time. And one of them existed the file while the others are still using, so
the file can not be saved with the original name. Thus, Db#.mdb is created
instead. Is my guess correct?

 

[John Vinson]

I do not worry much about it now. I am now trying to figure out where/how
extra databases are from/are created. This is my question. Thank so much for
spending the time to reply my posts. If you could help me to find a solution
for my question, then i really appreciate. Each supervisor already has a
shortcut of a file on desktop. Sometimes, they open the file at the same
time. And one of them existed the file while the others are still using, so
the file can not be saved with the original name. Thus, Db#.mdb is created
instead. Is my guess correct?

No, not directly. An Access Database is not like a document or a
spreadsheet; it's not saved when you exit it. Instead, each change to
a table (or design change to a Form, or any other change) is saved at
the time that it is made.

SOMEBODY is doing something - interactively, or in code - to cause
this to happen. Perhaps someone is attempting to Compact the database
(on the principle that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing", they
may know that databases should be compacted regularly but not realize
that this must be done while you have exclusive access). Or you might
be mistaken about the Compact on Close switch.


John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Guest]

So there are only 2 reasons that db1.mdb, db2.mdb, so on are created when
someone interacts modifying in code or the "Compact On Close" is checked? is
there anything else that may cause this problem?

Thanks

 

[John Vinson]

So there are only 2 reasons that db1.mdb, db2.mdb, so on are created when
someone interacts modifying in code or the "Compact On Close" is checked? is
there anything else that may cause this problem?

I'm not aware of any - but there might be something I haven't heard
of, or that I'm overlooking. Are you certain that you have all Office
updates installed on all machines using the program?

I would REALLY STRONGLY suggest that you take the (not very difficult)
step of using the Database Splitter Wizard to split the database to a
shared backend containing the tables, and a distributed frontend.
Having multiple users opening the database over the network can cause
many wierd problems, and this *might* be among them. Other such
problems include permanent irreversible corruption of the entire
database, user lockouts, and severe performance problems, so it's not
a trivial issue!

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Guest]

I only updated "office updates" on my machine. I am not sure about the
others. What is a big issue if some of the machines haven't updated?. Could
you please explain it to me. Also, as I posted on previous mail, let me copy
and paste it here again.

I remember at the time when working on a production floor, I searched for
mdb files on the network (Start -> Search). I found a database file, opened
it , looked at it, and closed it. Somehow, I saw db#.mdb created there. If
opened and closed it 2 times, then 2 db#s.mdb files are created. That's what
I experienced from, but I haven't known how they are created. Have any idea.

 

[John Vinson]

I only updated "office updates" on my machine. I am not sure about the
others. What is a big issue if some of the machines haven't updated?. Could
you please explain it to me. Also, as I posted on previous mail, let me copy
and paste it here again.

If you open the same database with different update levels of Access,
you may indeed be in trouble. Again... I have not specifically heard
of this "trouble" including creating extra copies of the database, but
I don't know that it cannot happen. I *DO* know that opening (and
especially making design changes) a database with two different update
levels can be dangerous.

I remember at the time when working on a production floor, I searched for
mdb files on the network (Start -> Search). I found a database file, opened
it , looked at it, and closed it. Somehow, I saw db#.mdb created there. If
opened and closed it 2 times, then 2 db#s.mdb files are created. That's what
I experienced from, but I haven't known how they are created. Have any idea.

As I have said, three times now, unless the Compact on Close option is
set, no, I do not.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Guest]

As I said a database is not set "Compact On Close". Could you please
summarize main reasons to cause creating extra databases if you know?

 

[John Vinson]

As I said a database is not set "Compact On Close". Could you please
summarize main reasons to cause creating extra databases if you know?

That's the only one I know of. The alternatives would be some sort of
macro or VBA code which is exporting the database or intentionally
creating a new database. Try opening the VBA editor and searching the
entire project for CreateDatabase.

If you open these db<x> databases do they contain the same tables as
the database you started with? or are they empty?

I'll ask the other MVP's if they have any ideas, I'm running out of
them myself!

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Guest]

I could not be able to open db#s.mdb. It gave me an error message. I did not
remember what the message was. I deleted all those extra databases. I really
appreciate for your replies. Thanks so much.

 

[John Vinson]

I could not be able to open db#s.mdb. It gave me an error message. I did not
remember what the message was. I deleted all those extra databases. I really
appreciate for your replies. Thanks so much.

One other question - do the users (or the accounts on the computers)
have full read, write, create, and delete privileges on the folder
containing the database? That's essential. (Shouldn't by itself cause
the problem though!)

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Guest]

Users use this database to run the report. I am sure they have right to read,
but I am not sure about other rights. I have to ask my partner about it.
Could you please anwser me what will be happening if they have no rights to
write, create, etc?

"John V

 

[Ken Snell \(MVP\)]

If the user does not have the right to delete in that folder, ACCESS cannot
delete the original database and replace it with the compacted one (db1,
etc.).